What happened on this day, May 2 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1976
James Hunt initially won the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix but was later disqualified due to his McLaren being 5/8ths of an inch too wide, a detail considered an infringement by the race stewards. This decision handed the victory to Niki Lauda, marking his fourth consecutive win for Ferrari. McLaren’s manager, Teddy Mayer, criticised the ruling, citing it as enforcement of an unnecessary and obscure regulation. However, nearly two months after the incident, the FIA overturned the disqualification, a pivotal moment in Hunt’s season, as he ultimately edged out Lauda for the 1976 drivers’ championship at the final race of the season in Japan.
1998
David Coulthard expressed his frustration after he blamed slow traffic for his loss at the 1998 San Marino Grand Prix. He believed Ferrari’s strategic pit stop timing allowed Michael Schumacher to secure a win by four seconds. Coulthard felt hindered by other drivers, particularly behind Oliver Panis’s Prost and Giancarlo Fisichella‘s Benetton. McLaren’s Ron Dennis was so upset that he confronted Alain Prost, who then ordered Panis to let Coulthard pass. Although Panis initially complied, a subsequent mistake by Coulthard allowed Panis to regain his position, ending Coulthard’s chances to win.
1999
David Coulthard miraculously survived when his private jet crashed while approaching Lyon-Satolas airport from Farnborough in Hampshire to Nice. The aircraft, reported to be on fire, attempted an emergency landing when it clipped the ground with a wingtip, somersaulted, and burst into flames. Coulthard helped his girlfriend, Heidi Winchelski, and his personal trainer to safety, but tragically, the pilot and co-pilot perished. Reflecting on the incident years later, Coulthard expressed a newfound appreciation for life and the realisation of his mortality.
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